Evaluation of the implanting of hospital epidemiologic centers in the State of São Paulo

Abstract

 The major objective of epidemiologic surveillance in hospitals is opportune detection and investigation of hazards of compulsory notification, especially emerging diseases. Notification by the hospital epidemiologic center to municipal surveillance of the diseases that require immediate action allows implementation of control measures in the community, avoiding appearance of secondary cases. Creation of the Subsystem of Hospital Epidemiologic surveillance, with the implantation of the Hospital Epidemiologic Center Network, allowed perfecting of the actions linked to hospital epidemiologic surveillance with significant impact on the implementation of control measures in the State of São Paulo. The tools for case reporting and investigation in hospital environment, such as active search in important sectors of the hospital, first aid clinics, internment units, intensive care units, laboratory and pharmacy, allowed improvement of the sensitivity and opportunity of the surveillance system within hospitals. The pandemics of influenza A/H1N1, a public health emergency of international interest, demanded, from all countries, coordinated answers especially from areas such as epidemiologic surveillance, laboratory and assistance. The hospital epidemiologic surveillance network of the state notified and investigated a high proportion of influenza A/H1N1 cases, outlining the need to consolidade and broaden this network as a fundamental strategy to answer public health emergencies, according to the new 2005 International Health Regulations